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Interview with Carrie Arcos!

Posted by
Krystal Larson
at
1:21 AM
Thursday, October 11, 2012

How do you find someone who doesn’t want to be found? A girl searches for her missing addict brother while confronting her own secrets in this darkly lyrical novel.Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah. He struggles with addiction, but she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it. Until the night that Micah doesn’t come home.

Rachel’s terrified—and she can’t help but feel responsible. She should have listened when Micah tried to confide in her. And she only feels more guilt when she receives an anonymous note telling her that Micah is nearby and in danger.

With nothing more to go on than hope and a slim lead, Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, begin the search. Along the way, Rachel will be forced to confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.

For OUT OF REACH, I've always loved the name Micah, so I decided upon his name pretty quickly. For Rachel, I wanted something classic, and I really liked the sound of her name.

2. Did you use any personal experience when creating your plot and/or characters?

Yes. I have looked for a family member who struggles with addiction down in San Diego. The circumstances were quite different, but I know the area pretty well because of that situation. Since I have experience with drug addiction from a family perspective, the book contains quite a bit of emotional truth, though the book is fiction.

3. What are three things that really make your book stand out (like we know it does!)?

The first is that it approaches addiction from a sibling’s point of view and not the addict’s. The style of it has been described as lyrical and maybe more on the literary side. There’s also an element of mystery because of the note that Rachel receives and the fact that as a reader you wonder if she will find her brother.

4. What can readers expect from Out of Reach?

They can expect a compelling, emotional read. It’s a tough story in that the themes are pretty difficult—addiction, loss, the lies that we tell each other—but it’s also a rewarding journey because ultimately it’s a story of hope and love.

5. What was the most difficult part of Out of Reach to write about?

Probably what Rachel has to learn. I don’t want to give anything away, but she’s looking for her brother, someone who she’s been very close to over the years, and he’s chosen meth over everything else, even her. It’s very painful because ultimately she can’t do anything. Micah has to be the one to decide when he’s had enough.

6. Are you currently working on anything now?

Yes. I’m currently writing a story about a boy struggling with grief. I’m loving it, so hopefully you’ll get to meet him someday.